This invention relates to a system for providing unscheduled breaks for personnel or staff within a company. This invention specifically relates to industries where, personnel, faculty, or staff must be present in certain areas under certain circumstances within a facility. While the present invention is described as being used by anesthesiologists in a hospital, the present system may also be used other by medical related professions, the education and daycare industry, and the manufacturing industry.
A challenge facing the above-mentioned industries and others is the inability to efficiently communicate when an employee is taking an unscheduled break. An unscheduled break can include, but are not limited to, water breaks, bathroom breaks, lunch breaks, and snack breaks. Although there are mobile software applications that provide scheduling assistance, none assist with coordinating unscheduled breaks. Today anesthesiologists check on other anesthesiologists to see if he or she needs to be relieved for a break. The time it takes to find the other anesthesiologist is quite time consuming and inefficient. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for the anesthesiologist to be found only after she or he has already taken her or his break.
The present system involves a lead coordinator that manages a white board. The anesthesiologists working that day and their work location within a facility are designated on the white board. A primary job of the lead coordinator is to manage breaks for the anesthesiologists. The management of breaks can be complicated because while the lead coordinator has a general idea of where an anesthesiologist may be at a particular time, it is very common for the anesthesiologists to be running behind schedule due to previous procedures lasting longer than expected. Consequently, the anesthesiologist may be due to have a break but cannot leave because her or his patient is in an operating room (“OR”). Accordingly, if the anesthesiologist were to take a break, another anesthesiologist must be able to tend to the OR. Once an anesthesiologist is provided a break the lead coordinator marks that individual as having a break on the white board. It is not uncommon for the lead coordinator to find out that an anesthesiologist has had a break only after another anesthesiologist was sent to ask.
Furthermore, if the anesthesiologist were to need time for a restroom break or water break and her or his patient is still in the OR, then there is no system to request that another anesthesiologist be sent.